Folding tent-pole.



' P. C.SCHAEFER.

FOLDING TENT POLE. APPLlcATloN man 1AN.22. 191.6.

Patented June 2o, 1916.

31a/ventola l Pc Jmw PETER C. SCHAEFER, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

FOLDING TENT-POLE. l

Application filed January 22, 1916.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER C. SCHAEFER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Tent-Poles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a folding tent pole and has for its object the production of a simple and efficient pole which may be readily set up for supporting a tent and may also be disassembled or folded for the purpose of convenient transportation.

Another object of this invention is the production of a simple and eilicient folding tent pole which comprises a minimum number of parts, is eflicient in operation, and may be readily and conveniently set up in an operative position.

With these and other objects in View, this invention consists of certain novel combinations, constructions, and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing -Figure 1 is a perspective view of the tent pole. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through one of the foldable legs of the pole. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of one of the legs. Fig. 4L is a section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detailed perspective of one of the adjustable sockets carried by the legs of the tent pole. Fig. 6 is a detailed perspective of an embodiment of the invention showing the socket formed of sheet metal. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the blank from which the socket member is formed.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by numerals it will be seen that 1 designates the primary section of one of the legs of the pole to which is pivotally secured at the lower end thereof an auxiliary section 2. Two of these legs are preferably pivotally secured together at the'upper ends by having the primary portions l bolted together by means of a bolt member 3. A link et is secured to the bolt 3 between the two primary sections 1 of the adjacent legs and Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Julie 20, 1916.

Serial No. 73,624.

a felly block 5 is connected to the link 4. A socket member 6 is slidably mounted upon each of the primary sections 1 of the legs and this socket member 6 is preferably formed of cast metaLhavingan aperture 7 formed in the top thereof through which the primary section 1 of the leg passes to permit the socket 6 to slide upon the primary section'l. The auxiliary section 2- of the leg is provided with a projecting end 8 which is adaptedto fit within the pocket 9 formed in the socket '6, thereby holding the auxiliary section 2 in an extended relation with respect to the primary section 1. It should be further understood, however, that the auxiliary section 2 may be swung so as to extend parallel with the primary section 1 as shown in dottedlines in Fig. 2, and the lower end 10 of the'primary section 2 may then be seated v0r fitted within the pocket 9 of the socket 6 for holding the leg in a j folded position.

t of course should be understood that the device may be of any size or any material without departing from the spirit of the invention.

By carefully considering Figs. 1 and 2. it will be seen that the ends of the auxiliary section 2 are beveled as indicated by the numeral 11 to permit the socket members 6 to conveniently slide over the respective ends of the auxiliary section 2.

In Figs. 6 and 7 there is shown an embodiment of the invention wherein the socket member 6 is formed of a blank sheet of material. The blank sheet of material 12 is folded along the fold lines 18 to produce y a rectangular box-like structure 6 as shown in Fig. 6. An integral tongue 14. is carried by the blank sheet 12 and is bent at right angles to the body'6 to constitute an abutment for the upper end of the lower or auxiliary section 2 of the leg. This tongue 14; is only one-half the width of the body 6 so as to produce an aperture 15 upon the top of the body 6 to permit the primary section 1 of the leg to pass therethrough.

What I claim is A device of the class described comprising a pair of pivotally connected sections, a

socket member slidably mounted upon one Yof said sections and adapted to engage the other section for holding said sections in an extended position, Said socket member being formed from :L blank sheet of materiel and bent to constitute n rectangular body, an integral tongue secured to said body and signature.

PETER C. SCHAEFER.

l Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

